Abstract

The monthly evening meeting of the Society was held on Tuesday, the12th of July; His Excellency, the President, in the chair.Mr. W. F. Petterd, of Launceston, who had previously been nominatedby the Council, was balloted for, and declared duly elected as a Fellow ofthe Society.Mr. E. J. Crouch, M.R.C.S., Eng., read a paper on "The Queen'sDomain, with suggestions for its improvement."A long and animated discussion, in which most of the Fellows presenttook part, followed the reading of this paper, and many valuable andpractical suggestions were brought out. It was ultimately determined,on the motion of Mr. Barnard, seconded by Mr. James Grant, that acommittee of this Society, consisting of Mr. Belbin, M.H.A., Mr. F.Abbott, Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens, Dr. E. L. Crowther,M.H.A., Captain Stanley, R.N., Mr. John Swan, Mr. Justin Browne,and Mr. E. J. Crouch, with power to add to their number, be formedto consider the subject in all its bearings, and to confer with the Governmentas to the best means of contributing to the improvement of theDomain.Mr. Stephens exhibited specimens of a paper-like material used instereotyping at the office of the Launceston Examiner, and one fromthe establishment of the Hobart Mercury. This soft and flexible materialhas almost universally superseded the use of plaster moulds in stereotyping,and the sharpness of the type cast from it, when properly prepared,is quite remarkable.Mr. Nowell presented some tables which he had compiled with theassistance of Mr. Langworthy, showing the mean of the observationsfor the five years, 1871-5, taken at the lighthouses and other coast stationsin Tasmania, and published by the Society; and read some remarksupon the subject, with special reference to the winds in Bass' Straits andthe climate of the West and North-West Coasts.Since the meeting the following interesting observations have beenreceived from Mr, S. B. Emmett, of Circular Head:—"The annualfall of rain here is about 45 in., in the most 69 in., and least 33 in. Meanrange of thermometer, 57 deg. at 9 a.m. Heaviest gales from N.W.during May, June, and July, always ending with thunder when therain begins and the wind shifts.

In 1843 the Horticultural and Botanical Society of Van Diemen's Land was founded and became the Royal Society of Van Diemen's Land for Horticulture, Botany, and the Advancement of Science in 1844. In 1855 its name changed to Royal Society of Tasmania for Horticulture, Botany, and the Advancement of Science. In 1911 the name was shortened to Royal Society of Tasmania.